1948 Revisited: 61 Years on Ireland Claim a Historic Grand Slam Against Wales

They do say that sport is not for the faint hearted as yesterday's thrilling RBS Six Nations showdown between Wales and Ireland at Cardiff's Millennium showed exactly why the weak at heart shouldn't watch.

After beating France, Italy, England, and Scotland, the Irish Rugby team were just one game away from immortality and a historic Grand Slam, their first since 1948.

The hero of '48 Jack Kyle watched from the stands as truly world class players in the shape of Brian O'Driscoll, Paul O'Callaghan, Ronan O'Gara, and John Hayes among others took to the pitch in an attempt to write themselves into the annals of rugby history.

The first half was a tight affair. 

Ireland had the majority of territory, but with nothing on the scoreboard to show for their efforts as Ronan O'Gara sent a penalty effort wide of the post.

It was Wales who went in at the interval 6-0 ahead thanks to two converted penalties from the boot of Stephen Jones.

Ireland were under pressure, but by no means out of it. The plan was the same just to add the end product.

Within minutes of the restart, the end product arrived and how.

The Irish pack kept territory within the Welsh twenty two and eeked ever closer to the try line. However, the Welsh were strong in defence and held the Irish back.

It was left to captain fantastic Brian O'Driscoll to find space where there was none and it squeaked over. The French video referee confirmed it was a try.

O'Gara converted with ease.

Ireland were ahead by a point, but 60 seconds later Ireland added another seven points to widen the gap.

O'Gara nipped a lovely ball over the Welsh defence that popped up with perfection for the on-rushing Tommy Bowe who sped away from the Welsh to score Ireland's second try of the afternoon.

Once again O'Gara converted to put the Irish fans into dreamland.

The scoreline now read Ireland 14 Wales 6.

However, the Welsh kept plugging away and bad mistakes from Ireland gave the hosts an opportunity to tighten the gap from unforced penalties.

Stephen Jones duly obliged to convert two more and bring the score back to 14-12.

Going into the last few minutes, it was nervous for Ireland and their fans. We all knew one score from Wales and a day of history may be lost.

Gavin Henson had the opportunity from far out to put Wales ahead, but his penalty came up short.

Ireland breathed a sigh of relief.

That was until there was but three minutes left on the clock.

Wales made some in-roads in the Irish twenty-two and forced some breaks in the defensive line. Some great work by the Welsh forwards opened up a chance for Jones to drop at goal.

The Welshman obliged with aplomb and Wales went ahead 15-14 with barely two and a half minutes on the clock.

From the resulting kick-off, O'Gara booted the ball deep into Welsh territory. Once again Ireland won a Welsh line-out and worked the ball across the front of the Welsh.

The Irish forwards were giving it their all to work an opening for an O'Gara drop goal.

It came. It was not pretty, but not a single soul in Ireland cared. We were leading 17-15 with just over a minute and a half on the clock.

Now we just needed to hang on. Bodies were bravely flung at the Welsh to pin them back. Unfortunately, Paddy Wallace put his body where it shouldn't have been and Wales got a penalty kick.

Had we thrown it all away, after all the hard work was the Grand Slam dream over?

Stephen Jones could dash the dreams of a nation with the last kick from the last penalty of the last game from the 2009 Six Nations.

The penalty was far out, but directly in front of the posts and more importantly within Jones' radar. His kicking had been impeccable all day and Irish faces hid behind frightened hands.

Jones kicked cleanly through the ball as it soared towards the posts. That's it dream over.

But wait....

Its dropping.....

Its bloody dropping...

Its not going to make...

Jones penalty had come up short. Ireland had done it, the pinnacle of European rugby, the Grand Slam.

Cue one joint mass eruption of relief and joy from the Irish in Cardiff and the pubs and homes throughout Ireland.

61 years on we could rejoice once again.

Each and every player throughout the Six Nations campaign had been immense for Ireland.

Those that stood out were Munster's John Hayes and Paul O'Connell, who put their bodies on the line each and every game.

There were scrum-halves Tomas O'Leary and Peter Stringer, who offered something different and equally valuable each time.

There were relative newcomers Rob Kearney and Tommy Bowe, who at times played like seasoned veterans.

However, the player of the tournament had to be Leinster's Brian O'Driscoll. They say "Cometh the hour, Cometh the man", well cometh the Six Nations, cometh the BOD.

It would have been a huge injustice were O'Driscoll never to win a Six Nations championship. Now he has a Grand Slam.

Huge credit must go to Declan Kidney. He has transformed an Ireland team that has underperformed since the 2007 Rugby World Cup into World Beaters.

This unassuming man who places credit on everyone else's shoulders but his own has transplanted the belief he instilled in the Munster squad into the Irish one.

Since 2006, this man has taken Munster to two Heinkenen Cup Wins and Ireland to a historic Grans Slam. His stock is as rare as Ireland Grand Slams.

Ireland no longer needs to trace through the history books for our greatest rugby success. Now we need only look to yesterday, Saturday March 21st 2009.

Glory, Glory Ireland.